Third Suspect Arrested in Slaying of Two Adults, 10-Year-Old Girl in Lawrence County

| December 23, 2018

LAWRENCE CO., Pa. (EYT) – A 41-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the October murder of two adults and a 10-year-old girl in New Castle.

(PHOTO: Jody Hammer, Steven Procopio, and Anthony Lavon “Mook” Cooper Jr.)

According to a published article in The Herald, on Friday, December 21, 41-year-old Jody Hammer, of New Wilmington, was arrested on the following charges:

– Criminal Homicide, Felony 1 (three counts)
– Conspiracy – Robbery-Inflict Serious Bodily Injury, Felony 1
– Hinder Apprehension/Prosecution-Provide Aid, Felony 3

She was arraigned at 12:10 p.m. on December 21, in front of Magisterial District Judge Scott A. McGrath and lodged in the in Lawrence County Jail.

Bail has been denied because of the Criminal Homicide charges.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday, December 28, with Judge McGrath presiding.

Details of the case:

Officers were dispatched to a West North Street, New Castle residence around 8:30 a.m. on October 16. The bodies of 31-year-old Lawrence Cannon, 31-year-old Nichole Pumphrey, and Pumphrey’s 10-year-old daughter, Amariah Emery, were found.

In October, 19-year-old Steven Procopio, of Pulaski Township, and 19-year-old Anthony Lavon “Mook” Cooper Jr., of Detroit, Michigan, were arrested for the triple homicide.

They remain in the Lawrence County Jail without bond.

Through the investigation, it was learned that on the night of the incident, Hammer was supposed to take Nichole Pumphrey from the room while Procopio and Cooper robbed Cannon. However, Pumphrey and Hammer engaged in an argument, and Cooper then allegedly pulled a gun and shot both Cannon and Pumphrey in the living room of the house.

Shortly afterward, a noise was heard and Cooper allegedly gave Procopio the gun and told him to investigate. Procopio allegedly saw two little girls coming down the stairs, shot the first girl, and fired twice at the second girl who ran back up the stairs, according to police.

Four other children in the house, ages four through nine, who found the bodies were unharmed.


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